ENGLISH OPERA.
THE English Opera season commences about the time of the summer solstice, and Mr. ARNOLD finds supporters as warm as he could wish them. The Adelphi, however, is rather too close quarters ; and during the dog-days, even Miss KELLY finds it difficult to draw a house ; but a little English summer weather will remedy this evil. Mr. ARNOLD, finding, by the costly experience of last season, that music cannot be heard to advantage at the Adelphi, has wisely resolved to be but slightly operatic during the present, and to rely upon those "trifles light as air" which are best suited to summer entertainment—though laughing is not a cooling exercise. We have all the old favourites, with MISS KELLY at their head, who is identified with this company, and is its "bright particular star;" and the addition of intelligent little Miss POOLE and the substitution of REEVE for KEELEY. Those who remember KEELEY as Brutus Hairbrain, the dancing bantling of a barber in the Middle Temple, should go and see JOHN REEVE in the same part : they may fancy the difference, but the ludicrous contrast requires the test of sight. Then there is WRENCH, the consummation of easy impudence ; BARTLEY, a born citizen of the old school ; and J. RUSSELL, who plays the fool and rustic the better for his intelligence. The theatre opened on Monday, with The Feudal Lady, a little melodrama, of slight materials, clumsily worked up: the whole burden of the piece rested on Miss KELLY —in fact, it was little else than a monodrama, performed by her, to show how unpleasantly natural she can be. We wish Mr. ARNOLD had led off a surer card—he perhaps deemed it better to reserve his strength a while—when he is put to his trumps we shall see what he will do. He announces a quick succession of novelties ; which, with his compact and clever company, promise to be agreeable. During this interregnum of opera, his new theatre will be rising; we hope it will be light and airy as a balloon, and then it will fill as well, though more substantially.
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